Automatic wire machine



Nov. 17,- 1925. 1,561,594

J. A. CIVIS ET AL,

AUTOMATIC WIRE MACHINE Filed Nov. '7. '1923 5 sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 17 I925- J. A." CIVIS El m.

AUTOMATIC WIRE MACHINE v Filed N07. 7. 1923 Shuts-Shut z Nov. 17, 1 25-. 1,561,594

J. A. CIVIS El AL AUTOMATIC WIRE MACHINE Filed Nov. 7, 192:5 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. CIVIS AND ELMER J. GOVANUS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO TITGHENER-DIEHL COMPANY, OF CHIGAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLI- NOIS.

AUTOMATIC WIRE MACHINE.

Application filed November 7, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES A. Crvis and ELMER J. GovANUs, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Chicago, in

the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Automatic \Vire Machine,

of which the following .is a specification.

Our invention relates to wire forming machines and particularly to a novel device for providing closed loops in a continuous length of wire in successive operations.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide means for forming wire articles,

16 such as described, in a continuous operation, the particular article produced having numerous uses. The specific use for which the finished article is intended is as a spacer for concrete reinforcing elements. At-

tempts to form wire of the desired shape in automatic machines heretofore has, we believe, been unsuccessful without a second operation by which the product is straightened and all the loops aligned.

2 machine the product is delivered in a finished state and no straightening or other operations are necessary. This result is accomplished by reason of the mechanical arrangement whereby the wire is not stretched or twisted in any manner during the forming operation. The first step in the opera tion is that of forming a wide U-shaped 'lateral deflection in the wire by means of simple male and female dies the material necessary for the formation of the deflected portion being drawn from both sides, both ends of the wire being free. Furthermore, all the wire necessary for forming the closed loop is contained within the deflected portion and therefore the next operation is merely one of bending without drawing any of the parts. Likewise in this operation both ends of the wire are free.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine con structed in accordance with our invention;

Fig.2 is an enlarged side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 .of Fig. 1;

'Fig. 4 is ;-a sectional view on the line of Fig. 1;

In our 7 Serial No. 673,290.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view showing the detail of the forming dies for the first operation;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the positioi of the parts in the second operation; an

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the wire in its completed form.

In the drawings it will be seen that the machine comprises essentially a base 10, supported on legs 11, the base having undercut guide-ways 12 therein for the accommodation of slides 13, 14. The slides are advanced and retracted as required by cams 15, 16, mounted on a central shaft 17, to which motion is imparted by means of gear 18 and gears 19, 20, carried by shafts 21, 22, the latter having on its overhung end alpuilley wheel 23, to which power is supp 16C.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the slides have mounted thereon male and female die blocks 24, 25, together with means such as the set bolts'26, for effecting relative longitudinal adjustment thereof. By means of these dies, shaped as desired, the first step in the operation, best shown in Fig. 5, is carried out.

Following the formation of the U-shaped lateral portion in the wire by means of the dies 24, 25, said dies are withdrawn by the action of the cams and the next step of the operation is begun.

Mounted on the shaft 17 is a cam 27, which acts through a plunger 28, links, 29 and lever 30, on a reciprocating slide 31, which carries a templet or templet die 32 on its lower end. This die is mounted for limited oscillation on a pivot 33, an expansion spring 34, tending to hold the parts in an outward position; that is, in a position where its corners fit within or cooperate with the previously formed corners of the deflected portion. This will best be understood by reference to Figs. 5 and 6. When shape the templet has been moved by means of the spring 35, into the lowered position shown in Fig. 4, the next operation is begun.

The shafts 21, 22, carry cams 36, 37, which in turn act upon slides 38, 39, held in retracted position by the springs 40, 41, connected through links 42, 43, with pivoted jaws 44, 45. jaws are mounted on a shaft i6 and oscillate under the action of the cams to close the loop. The extent of closing is, of course, determined by the adjustment of the parts, this being provided for by bolts 4:2", 48, which serve to connect the links e2, 43 with the slides 38, 39. The jaws i i, 45, serve to shape the projecting U-shaped portion of wire around the templet 3:2, as best shown in Fig. 6. Likewise in this operation the ends of the wire are relatively free, the material necessary to effect the closing operation being drawn from both portions.

Following the completion of this operation the jaws are reversed and the templet positively moved out of its position and the completed wire shape is free to be advanced. This is effected by means of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, comprising a feeding arm i9, which is oscillated by means of a pitman 50, mounted on a crank 51, the effective length of the crank being controlled by the screw element 52, which is rotated as a part of the disk 53, fixed to the central shaft 17. The completed wire passes out of the ma chine through guides 5%, best shown in Figs. 1 and 8. A wire straightener 55, of well known form, will also be employed.

As heretofore stated, both ends of the wire are free during the forming operations. The operation of the parts is so timed that after the wire is advanced by the feeding arm etQand during its return to its initial position, the dies 24, 25, are advanced to form the U, the wire therefor being drawn from both sides. Before the arm if) has completed its return movement, the dies 2%, 25, are retracted, the templet 32. is movedinto position and the jaws i l 4-5, act on the U to close it around the templet. Upon the retraction of the templet, the feed arm has completed its backward movement and a successive forward or feeding movement is begun.

Obviously the machine is-of the utmost simplicity and while its various elements maybe shifted to change their relation, we doubt whether the desired results may be secured in a machine having other or different elements. However, such modifications as are within the-scope of our claims we consider within the'sp'irit of our invention.

We claim:

1. In an automatic machine for forming successive closed loops in a continuous wire, the combination of means for feeding predetermined lengths of wire, dies for forming a U-sha'ped lateral projection from the line of wire, said projection containing the full amountof wire necessary for the completed loop, a templet mounted for movement into and out of the space within said projection, and'a pair of jaws acting on the sides of said projection for forcing the same toward each other ,around'said templet.

2. In an automatic machine for forming successive closed loops in a continuous wire, the combination of means for feeding predetermined lengths of,wire, a pair of cooperating die members acting on the length r of wire to form a U-shaped lateral projection therein, the wire at both sides of said projection being free whereby the wire is drawn into the required shape without stretching, a templet die adapted to be projected into and out of the space within the U-shaped projection, and a pair of jaws adapted to be closed upon said U-shaped projection to form the same around said templet die.

3. in an automatic wire forming machine, the combination of means for straightening and feeding a length of wire, male and female die members acting on the length of wire to displace a portion thereof into a ti-shaped projection, the quantity of wire displaced being substantially that required for the formation of the completed loop, a templet movable transversely into the space within said U-shapedv portion of wire, and means for closing said wire' onsaid templet.

+l. Ina wire shaping machine, the combination of means for laterally deflecting a portion of wire, both ends of the wire being relatively free during the deflecting oper ation, a templet normally out ofthe path'of travelof said wire and adapted to be projected into the space within said deflected portion, and means for shaping said deflected portion aboutsaid templet. v 5'. In a wire shaping machine, the combination of means r01 laterally deflecting a portion of wire, both ends of the wire being relatively free during. thedeflecting operation, a templet normally out of the path of travel of said wire and adapted to be projected into the space within said deflected ortion, means for shaping said deflected portionabout said templet, and means for withdrawing said shaping means and said templet out of the path of travel of said wire and feeding the same forwardly for a duplicate operation.

6. In an automatic machine, the combination of means for feeding a length of wire, die members acting on said length of wire to displace a portion thereof into a- U-shaped projection, the quantity of wire displaced being that required for the for mation of a completed loop, a templet mov able into the space within said U-shaped portion-of wire, and a pair of jaws for bending the wire around the templet.

7. In an automatic machine, the combination of means for feeding a length of wire, die members acting on said length of wire to displace a portion thereof into a U-shaped projection, the quantity of wire displaced being that required for the formation of a completed loop, a templet movable into the space Within said U-sha ed portion of Wire, a pair of jaws for bending the Wire around the templet, and means for positively retracting the templet to permit the forward travel of the length of Wire.

8. In an automatic machine, the combination of a Wire feeding arm for feeding a predetermined length of Wire to said machine, die members acting to laterally displace a U-shaped portion of said length of Wire, a templet movable transversely of the direction of travel of the Wire into the space outlined by said U-shaped portion, a pair of jaws for forming the U-shaped portion around said templet, said die members and said jaws acting 011 the Wire during the return movement of said feeding arm whereby a portion of the Wire necessary for the deflecting and forming operations may be drawn independently of the feeding arm.

In an automatic machine, the combi4 nation of means for feeding a length of Wire by a step-by-step operation, a pair of dies acting 011 the Wire to deflect a U-shaped portion thereof, a templet die movable into the space defined by the U-shaped portion, means for forming said U-shaped portion about said templet Without stretching the wire, and means for positively Withdrawing said templet after the forming operation, all

the forming operations being completed in one position of the material.

Signed at Chicago, 111., this 31st day of October, 1923.

JAMES A. CIVIS. ELMER J. GOVANUS. 

